After the 1972 election, Jerome became Chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. Since there was a minority government in place, the opposition had a majority of members on the Committee and he had to remain impartial and balance the wishes of all parties in order to win approval for legislation.
After the Clark government was defeated in a motion of no confidence in December 1979, Jerome decided not to run in the ensuing general election. In January 1980, Clark appointed him Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court in Ottawa. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1998.